An endpoint transferring media can reserve network resources for the media flow by sending a Resource ReSerVation (RSVP) protocol request. The endpoint typically sends a resource request in conjunction with establishing the media flow.
The RSVP protocol is not available on many endpoints, and accordingly, RSVP proxies located remotely from the endpoints have been used to send RSVP requests on behalf of endpoints. The RSVP proxies determine when RSVP requests should be initiated on behalf of an associated endpoint using methods such as stateful packet analysis. Under stateful packet analysis, the RSVP proxy analyzes packets for all media flows extending through itself. Whenever the RSVP proxy detects a new media flow, the RSVP proxy observes the flow type. The RSVP proxy then uses the flow type observation to heuristically determine resource requirements for the new flow and sends an RSVP request using the determined requirements. To ensure that resources are reserved for the lifetime of the flow, the RSVP proxies maintain state tables denoting previously analyzed flows.
The heuristically determined bandwidth requirements are frequently inaccurate and maintenance of the state tables by the RSVP proxies consumes local resources. The disclosure that follows solves these and other problems.